Family Connection Partnership in Georgia:
Project Evaluation

Although Georgia faces some of the nation's most difficult challenges associated with poverty, the statewide Family Connection project is demonstrating substantial success in improving indicators of child and family well being. Family Connection collaboratives are now functioning in all of Georgia's 159 counties and are widely representative of local groups committed to improving circumstances for children and families in education, health, child welfare, and economics.

In 1995 Metis was selected by the Georgia Policy Council to evaluate the Family Connection project, now overseen by the Family Connection Partnership (FCP). Metis has used multiple methods, addressing implementation, impact, and policy-level questions. Metis also participates on the FCP's statewide evaluation team, providing technical assistance to local collaboratives and engaging in a number of studies to test Family Connection's theory of change. Metis has been able to analyze data on a neighborhood level, to isolate results and show the impact of the collaborative, for example on child abuse and neglect, in a very specific and targeted way.

"My experience with Metis Associates has been nothing but positive, which is why I have continued to seek their expertise, knowledge, and assistance in my work to support children and families in Georgia for over 25 years…. The Metis staff quickly demonstrated to us their belief in local decision-making, practical approaches to evaluation, and transfer of evaluation capacity. With their assistance, Savannah made great strides in data-driven decision-making – a legacy that remains to this day."
- Gaye Smith, executive director, Family Connection Partnership